Historical Documents

   STAMPEDE AND ARRESTS.––Three negro men belonging to Adam Trumbo, near Wyoming, Bath county, Ky., made their escape on Thursday night, each mounted on a horse. Arriving at a toll-gate beyond Flemingsburgh, which they could not pass, they abandoned their horses, and made their way to within four miles of the Ohio river, near Fee's Chapel, where they were arrested and secured about 9 o'clock yesterday morning. Five negroes from the lower end of Mason county took a sleigh ride a short time since and crossed the Ohio river. Neither the sleigh, horses, or blacks have been heard of since.––Maysville Eagle. 

   SLAVE STAMPEDE. The Cincinnati Commercial of Monday, reports another stampede of six slaves, belonging to Mr. Bowen, who lives in Boone County, a short distance from Mr. Gaines, who were taken with a sudden leaving during Friday night. It is supposed that they crossed the icy bridge above California, but no trace of their whereabouts, up to last night, had been had. 

                   Ohio News.

   The following letter to the Boston Transcript, will interest every reader:

                       CINCINNATI, Feb. 5th, 1856.

   Flight of Fugitive Slaves

  A stampede of slaves from the border counties of Kentucky took place Sunday night. The whereabouts of several of them having been discovered in Cincinnati, officers proceeded to make arrests. Upon approaching the house where the slaves were secreted, the latter fired, wounding two or three spectators, but not seriously. One slave woman finding escape impossible, cut the throats of her children, killing one instantly and severely wounding two others. Six of the fugitives were apprehended, but eight are said to have escaped. 

   NEGRO STAMPEDE.--We noticed yesterday a string of six furniture cars full of negroes, amounting to 120 large and small, all destined for New Orleans on the Ben Franklin. They were from one of the border counties of this State. 

                WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1856.

            HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

  The House met at 10 o'clock.

                  SENATE BILLS PASSED.

   The following Senate bills, communicated from the Senate this morning, were read a third time and passed:

   A bill to incorporate the Law Library Association.

   A bill providing for the payment of dividend of joint stock companies into the public treasury.

   The SPEAKER appointed the following committee to take into consideration that portion of the Governor's message received yesterday, in relation to vaccination:––Messrs. CLAIBORNE, FLOYD , BUSH, MALLORY, CRAMMAR, BROWN, REFNER, CRADDOCK, B[illegible] and TAYLOR.

   There has been an immense stampede of the negroes in the upper part of the State. The Rev. Mr. Fee and the other Abolitionists in that region must be acting upon the opinions laid down by Prentice some years since, that "all men have a right to liberty, no matter what color"--and are carrying out the wish expressed by him in 1849, that he "hoped to see the day when there would not be a slave in Kentucky."

   His Abolition brethren in Northern Kentucky and Ohio are doing a great deal to carry his sentiments into effect. Their underground railroad is in very active operation. We do not know that Prentice is the agent for the sale of tickets in this city, but we do know that negroes are very often missing.--Lou. Times. 

    Here is an item from the Louisville Courier of March 1st, which shows how Kentucky negroes are going:

    NEGRO STAMPEDE.--We noticed yesterday a string of six furniture cars full of negroes, amounting to 120 large and small, all destined for New Orleans on the Ben Franklin. They were from one of the border counties of this State. 

The Slave Exodus--The future of Kentucky and Virginia.

   STAMPEDE.--It is stated that thirty likely negroes belonging to Samuel S. Simmons, of this State, left for parts unknown last week. This is "running away" by the wholesale. 

   The friends of slavery in this country are truly unfortunate in all their attempts to protect and bolster up their favorite institution. The Fugitive Slave Law, instead of protecting their runaway property, has only accelerated the slave stampede to Canada. 

   Stampede––Eight slaves, 2 women and 6 men, belonging to individuals living in Hampshire county, broke out of jail at Romney on Friday night last, and made for a free State. There was a reward of $2,200 offered for their apprehension. The whole of them were arrested near Frankfort, on Sunday, after a desperate fight. It appears that the slaves were armed, and when an attempt was made to arrest them they fired upon the party.––The shots were returned and two of the slaves were badly wounded. 

   NEGRO STAMPEDE.–– Eight slaves, two women and six men, belonging to individuals living in Hampshire county, Va., broke out of jail at Romney on Friday night last, and made for a free State. There was a reward of $2,200 offered for their apprehension. The whole of them were arrested near Frankfort, on Sunday, after a desperate fight. It appears that the slaves were armed, and when an attempt was made to arrest them they fired upon the party. The shots were returned and two of the slaves were badly wounded. 

   SLAVE STAMPEDE.––A reward of $1,500 was offered yesterday for the apprehension of eight negroes––a man and wife, three sons, two daughters and the wife's sister, who disappeared on Monday night. They are the property of Messrs. R. Wash and John O'Fallon, Jr. Several other slaves are supposed to be in their company on the underground track. 

   EXODUS OF SLAVES.––On Monday night last nine negroes owned by Maj. West of this city departed for parts unknown. A few nights previous three slaves left the bed and board of Col. John O'Fallon. Underground railroad agents are said to have assisted. 

        Nebraska to be Made a Slave State Also.

              Correspondence of the Chicago Tribune.

                                           TOPEKA, Monday, July 7.

   The important communication subjoined was handed to me this morning by a gentleman direct from Nebraska City. I will go there immediately and investigate its statements:

                               NEBRASKA CITY, Saturday, June 28. 

   Slave Stampede at St. Louis.––The St. Louis Republican, of Wednesday last, says:

   A reward of $1,500 was offered yesterday for the apprehension of eight negroes––a man and wife, three sons, two daughters and the wife's sister, who disappeared on Monday night. They are the property of Messrs. R. Wash and John O'Fallon, Jr. Several other slaves are supposed to be in their company on the underground track. 

                     Nebraska and Slavery.

   JAMES REDPATH, of Kansas, writes from Topeka, under date of the 7th, and sends an important communication to the Chicago Tribune. He says:

   The important communication subjoined was handed to me this morning by a gentleman direct from Nebraska City. I will go there immediately and investigate its statements:

                               NEBRASKA CITY, June 28. 

   RUNNAWAY SLAVES.––Mr. John Muellberger gave notice at the police office yesterday morning, that on Friday night last, two of his slaves, a man and a woman, ran away from his plantation, and have escaped into Illinois. 

  SLAVE STAMPEDE.––A reward of $1,500 is offered this morning for the apprehension of eight negroes, a man and wife, three sons, two daughters and the wife's sister, who disappeared during last night. They are the property of Messrs. R. Walsh and John O'Fallou, Jun; Several other slaves are supposed to be in their company, on the underground track.––St. Louis Leader. 

               American State Convention,

                        At Toure Hall, Hartford.

   The American Party of Connecticut, and all others opposed to the election of the nominees of the Cincinnati Convention, and to the principles as expressed in their platform, are requested to meet in Convention at HARTFORD, on the 6th day of August, A.D. 1856, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, to nominate Electors for President and Vice President of the United States. The several towns are entitled to elect delegates to said Convention equal to three times the number of their Representatives. 

                                               WAIT N. HAWLEY,

                      For the Coos Republican. 

    "FREEDOM NATIONAL, SLAVERY SECTIONAL."

   UNDERGROUND RAILROAD––On Friday night, a girl belonging to Mr. W.T. Christy was decoyed from home, and came near making her escape. She was missed in a few hours, and Mr. Fisher, of the night police, started in pursued. He crossed the river about one o'clock yesterday morning on the ferry that went over to bring the railroad passengers, and overtook the girl, who was along with a white man, about four miles this side of Alton. Both were brought to this city yesterday morning. The white man says his name is Wm. Smith, and he is doubtless the tool of some abolitionists we have in our midst, and who, it is to be hoped, will be ferreted out. 

   THE NEGRO PARTY - - SOME PROOFS.

    We have said that the Black Republican party is the party of the negroes--that all its sympathies and energies are devoted to the task of elevating the negro race to a condition of entire political and social equality with the white race of this country. To do that we contend, and many of them admit, that practical amalgamation is necessary. We proceed now to give some proofs that such is the one aim of the so-called "Republican" party--the party that supports John C. Fremont. True, the greater portion of the party consists of Know Nothings who hate the "Dutch and Irish." But the one absorbing idea with them now is the negroes; and to prove that the negroes are as good as the whites in every respect, and to place them in an exactly equal, social and political condition is their one aim. Our proofs consist of extracts well authenticated. 

   SLAVE STAMPEDE.––On Sunday night, 10th instant, seven slaves, the property of Messrs. Thomas Tavenner, D.C. Lovett and Albert Logan, made their escape from the vicinity of Parkersburg, VA., on the "underground railroad."

   Slave Stampede.––On Sunday night, 10th inst., seven slaves, the property of Messrs. Thomas Tavernner, E.C. Lovett and Albert Logan, made their escape from the vicinity of Parkersburg, Va., on the 'underground railroad.'

  NEGRO STAMPEDES IN KENTUCKY.––Five slaves made their escape into Ohio, from Jamestown, Ky., Monday night. 

   The Louisville Courier of Monday, says: "On Sunday night, Aug. 31st, there was a stampede of negroes in Hopkins county. Eight of Col. Wm. Bradley's negroes, one of Mr. C. Earl's, a widow lady named Mitchell lost several, and it is reported that Gen. White also lost several. They had not been captured at latest dates. A negro belonging to Joel Fort, of Tennessee, who belonged to this gang, or was attempting to join it, was captured."

   It seems that the underground railroad is doing a great business in Hopkins and Henderson counties. 

         Escape of Slaves from Loudon.

 CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH.

                        LEESBURG, Loudon, Sept. 15th.

   A stampede of negroes took place in this county Saturday night or Sunday. General Rust loses three, Gabriel Vanderventer three, Charles Douglas one woman and her children. Eight grown persons, and I believe three children. More may be gone, but it is too early in the day to ascertain the fact. 

     Novel Negro Stampede.

   The Memphis Evening News gives the following:

                    From the N.Y. Times.

       How the Deed is to Be Done.

   Five slaves made their escape into Ohio from Jamestown, Ky., on Sunday night. On the same night there was a stampede of negroes in Hopkins county. Eight of Col. Wm. Bradley's negroes, one of Mr. C. Earl's, a widow lady named Mitchell lost several, and it is reported that Gen. White also lost several. They had not been captured at latest dates. 

   SERVILE STAMPEDE.––Last Sunday night, 11 slaves escaped from Loudon county, Va., three of whom belonged to Gen. Rust. 

   A slave stampede took place in Loudon county, Va., on Saturday night last. Eight grown persons and three children are known to have disappeared.

   A stampede of Negroes, as stated by the Richmond Enquirer, took place in Loudon county Saturday night or Sunday, 14th. Gen. Rust loses three, Gabriel Vanderventer three, Charles Douglass one woman and her children. Eight grown persons, and we believe three children. More may be gone but all the facts are not ascertained. 

                 Negro Stampede.

           ANOTHER STAMPEDE.

   NOT YET CAUGHT.––A report being in circulation that the runaway negroes of Mr. BUSH had been taken, we are authorized to contradict it, as they are still at large. Mr. BUSH we learn has increased his reward to $1,000; and $1,000 is offered by Mr. ANDERSON for the apprehension of the preacher ISAAC, who enticed them away. A good speculation [illegible]

    A slave stampede recently took place in Loudon County, Va.

                                                                Negro Stampede.

   We learn from the Hannibal Democrat of the 23d, that Mr. John Burt of Marion Co., lost by flight on Sunday night last, six negroes. The Democrat states, they were enticed away by a negro preacher of the Methodist Church, named McDaniels. 

   Heretofore, if has been usual where negroes run away from their master, in Marion county, to accuse citizens of Quincy with running them off, when, in point of fact, we suppose that not a soul in this city knew of their flight. Those stampedes nearly always occur from agencies and causes existing right in the midst of the slave owners themselves.

   WHOLESALE STAMPEDE.––A few nights since, fourteen slaves escaped from Kenton Co., Ky., and about the same time, twelve others were missing from the vicinity of Maysville.

   NEGRO REVOLT.––We have a letter of November 2d, from Mr. Graves, a postmaster at Halletsville, Lavaca county, (says the Galveston Civilian of the 11th) in which he says that most of the men implicated by Davidson in the proposed negro stampede, were not found guilty––or at least his testimony was regarded as of no value, from conflicting with his former statements. The parties accused, however, were released on condition that they should leave the county in forty-eight hours. Davidson received one hundred lashes and orders to leave the county in twenty-four hours. One of the parties attempted to be implicated by Davidson, named Heffernan, was not included in the order to leave, and is not suspected. The others were men of doubtful character. 

    STAMPEDE OF FREE NEGROES.--The free negroes at Murfreesboro, took a compulsory stampede from that place last week. Their depredations had become insufferable to the citizens, and their pernicious influence among the slave population made them a serious grievance. Self-preservation compelled the whites to stringent measures to get rid of them and a general stampede ensued during last week. 

    An Excitement.--Some little excitement was raised in Nanjemoy district last week, in consequence of the arrest of two negro men suspected of plotting an insurrection among the blacks.--We understand, however, from persons who were present at the examination that nothing reliable in the way of evidence was obtained that should cause fear in the minds of our citizens. There is nothing, we presume, like an insurrection to be apprehended; but it would be well for the organized patrol parties to be vigilant, lest a "stampede" in some quarter might take place. There is some reason to suspect that two white men have been tampering with negroes in the district named; but we learn that, finding public feeling so strong against them, they thought it prudent to leave the State. 

                STAMPEDE OF FREE NEGROES.

   The free negroes at Murfreesboro, took a compulsory stampede from that place last week. Their depredations had become insufferable to the citizens, and their pernicious influence among the slave population made them a serious grievance. Self-preservation compelled the whites to stringent measures to get rid of them and a general stampede ensued during last week.--Nashville Patriot, Dec. 2. 

   Stampede of Free Negroes.--The Nashville Patriot, of the 2d Inst., says:

   The free negroes at Murfreesboro, took a compulsory stampede from that place last week. Their depredations had become insufferable to the citizens, and their pernicious influence among the slave population made them a serious grievance. Self-preservation compelled the whites to stringent measures to get rid of them, and a general stampede was the consequence. 

THE POOR DARKIES.––Christmas is the great, if not the only holiday allowed to the slaves of the Southern States; it comes but once a year to them, in a double sense, and it must be looked forward to with an anxious longing which free laborers can have no conception of. But this year, it would seem, from the notices we have seen in the Southern papers, that the slaves have been denied this customary Christmas holiday, because their masters have been alarmed at the reported insurrections, and were fearful of the poor darkies availing themselves of a day's freedom from toil to attempt a general rising or a general stampede. It is difficult for the people of the North to properly understand the feelings of the slaveholders towards their property, or to commiserate sufficiently the embarrassments and troubles which the masters endure in managing their negroes.

   THE POOR DARKIES.––Christmas is the great, if not the only holiday allowed to the slaves of the Southern States; it comes but once a year to them, in a double sense, and it must be looked forward to with an anxious longing which free laborers can have no conception of. But this year, it would seem, from the notices we have seen in the Southern papers, that the slaves have been denied this customary Christmas holiday, because their masters have been alarmed at the reported insurrections, and were fearful of the poor darkies availing themselves of a day's freedom from toil to attempt a general rising or a general stampede. It is difficult for the people of the North to properly understand the feelings of the slaveholders towards their property, or to commiserate sufficiently the embarrassments and troubles which the masters endure in managing their negroes.

   SLAVE STAMPEDE––Eleven negroes confined in Harris Edmondson's jail and awaiting transportation south, escaped from confinement Saturday night and have not since been heard of. The police have been notified there is but little doubt but that the runaways will soon be apprehended.––[American.

   JACK FROST TURNED ABOLITIONIST.––The Cincinnati Gazette of the 6th instant says:

   The recent freeze-up of the river has afforded unequalled facilities to negroes disposed to migrate to a more northern clime. Six "Chattles" belonging to one family, set out from Covington to Canada a few nights since, and numerous other stampedes have taken place along the line of the river. Many persons sent their negroes to the interior for safe keeping. We fear our Southern neighbors will soon be voting the Ohio river a nuisance, and pass resolutions of indignation against Dame Nature for aiding and abetting the Abolitionists. 

   In spite of that high price of breadstuffs for some years past, of which the Virginia planters, by reason of their nearness to tide-waters, have been able to reap advantages so superior to those of the Western farmers; in spite of the introduction of the use of guano as a means of fertilizing their worn-out lands; in spite of efforts to excite the industry and revive the prosperity of the State by an extensive system of internal improvements for which large advances have been made from the State Treasury, in addition to heavy subscriptions by private citizens; in spite even of an unprecedented rise in the market value of slaves––the leading product of Virginia––which seems to be rapidly bringing up the price to the mark fixed by Governor Wise; in spite of all these things, that alarming decline, a remedy for which the State doctors of Virginia have long been in search, still continues to go on unabated, and still continues to draw forth endless jeremiads from the n